CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Armadillos are invading the Carolinas, but scientists aren't sure why.
Let's connect the dots.
Most often associated with Texas, the armored mammals originated in South America. But over the past 15 years, they've been expanding their range moving into North and South Carolina and as far north as Iowa.
Homeowners call them a nuisance because they love to dig. They can cause real damage by digging shallow holes all over a property in search of food, uprooting plants, or keeping you up at night rubbing their shells against your home.
A former Clemson professor says climate change could be driving them north but he says it's more likely all the interstate highways and railroads.
Those are good habitats used to drive their range expansion.
But we should mention they aren't inherently dangerous, and they're less destructive than feral pigs. So we'll just have to learn to live with them.
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